photo by: Kim North

John Marshall freshman Milo Ward is ranked No. 6 in West Virginia Division I at 106 pounds. Ward and the Monarchs will compete in the W.Va. Region I Tournament Saturday at Wheeling Park High School’s ‘Palace on the Hill.’

WHEELING – The road to Huntington and the W.Va. State Wrestling Tournament begins Saturday with the Region I events being staged at Wheeling Park High School (formerly Class AAA, Division I) and Weir High School (formerly Class A-AA, Division II).

Action begins at 10 a.m. in Weirton and 11 a.m. in Wheeling.

The 4 finishers in each weight class as both sites will advance to the state tournament on March 5-7 at The Marshall Health Network Arena in Huntington.

DIVISION I

Teams competing at the ‘Palace on the Hill’ include Bridgeport, Brooke, Buckhannon-Upshur, Fairmont Senior, John Marshall, Morgantown, Preston, University and the host Patriots.

Of the local squads, the Monarchs have six ranked wrestlers taking to the mats, while the Patriots also have half-a-dozen and the Bruins four.

However, only one area wrestler is ranked atop his respective weight class – that being Wheeling Park senior Isaac Sands at 165. He finished third at the same weight last winter.

Classmate Nate Hodge checks in at No. 3 at 157, while freshmen Hunter Flanegin is 5th at 106; Maxx Taylor is 7th at 126; and DJ Neal is eighth at 132. Junior Jake Carman is slotted No. 9 at 150.

John Marshall is led by sophomores Nathan Hughes (120) and Kai Johnson (165) with No. 5 rankings, while freshman Milo Ward (106) and junior J.T. Morris (190) checking in at No. 6. Sophomores Clayton Pyles-Dugas (126) and Gavin Myers (215) are No. 8 and No. 9, respectively.

Brooke junior Anthony Maple (113) tops the Bruins brigade at No. 6. He is followed by junior Landon Burdine (132) and sophomore Dominic White (190) at No. 7, respectively. Sophomore Gannen Swickard (12) is listed No. 10.

University is the defending Region I and Class AAA state champion.

DIVISION II

There are 18 ranked wrestlers in the ‘small’ school division, with Cameron and Oak Glen each having five. Wheeling Central has four, while Tyler Consolidated and Weir have two each. In addition to the aforementioned schools, also competing are Doddridge County, East Fairmont, Magnolia, North Marion, Ritchie County, St. Marys, Williamstown and Wirt County.

The Dragons, the defending Class A state champions, have three individuals ranked No. 1 – sophomore Maverick Lilley (106) and juniors Braxton Birch (132) and Eli Tedrow (165). Tedrow was a state champ at 157 while Birch finished second at 126. The other ranked Dragons are junior Marshall Crow (150) and sophomore Talen Brown (144) at No. 4. Crown was third at 138 last year and Brown fourth at 144.

The Golden Bears are led by senior Noah Schmidt (215) at No. 2. He was second at 285 last winter. Junior Jordan Tomsic (106) is ranked No. 3, with senior Wyatt Wolanski (144) No. 4 at 144. Tomsic was sixth at 106 last season, while Wolanski finished fifth at 132. Junior Micah Julian (12) is No. 7 and freshman Kayden Spencer (138) No. 9.

Junior Dominic Paesani (285) leads the Maroon Knights with a No. 2 ranking, one spot ahead of senior Wyatt Brady (190). Senior Tylique Marshall (113) is No. 5, while sophomore Trenton McCardle (165) checks in at No. 10.

Senior Ben Bryan (190) is No. 1 for the Red Riders. Junior Josh DeFelice (165) is No. 2.

The Silver Knights are led by Kellan Dalrymple (157) with a No. 3 ranking. He is joined by Gideon Winfrey (150) who is No. 5.

GIRLS

The Northern Regional is held at Buckhannon-Upshuir High School on Sunday.

Sixteen area wrestlers are ranked, with Tyler Consolidated’s Eliana Winfrey (152) being the lone No. 1.

Wheeling Park has six ranked wrestlers in Kymber Heldreth (185) and Terionna Gibbons (235) both at No. 3. They are followed by Grace Tamburin (138) at No. 5; London Fankhouser (235) at No. 6 and Kylah Cunningham (165) at No. 8. Baleigh Brothers (126) tied for 9th.

In addition to Winfrey, the Silver Knights also have Toni Thomas (235) at No. 4, Arianna Hartline (138) at No. 6 and Chloe Dutton (185) No. 10.

John Marshall’s Morgan Brandon (165) and Jaycee McEndree (185) are both ranked No. 7.

Magnolia’s Jozie Madden (185) is ranked No. 6 and Annalise Goddard (107) is No. 10.

Cameron’s Ava Lemasters (114) is ranked No. 5.

Oak Glen’s Alexandra Watkins (152) is No. 5.